Obsidian plugin guide — Dataview

Dataview: query your vault like a database

In the data retrieved on August 22, 2026, Dataview ranked #3 by downloads. For this page we pulled the official GitHub repository's README and manifest, plus the official download-count data, directly — and cover what it does, how much it is used, and its four query modes, limited to what we could actually verify.

By SimpleMemo Developer · Published · Explanation corrected ; statistics remain the August 22 retrieval

What does the Dataview plugin do?

Dataview turns your vault into something you can query like a database. You can use four query modes: DQL, inline expressions, DataviewJS and inline JS expressions. LIST, TABLE, TASK and CALENDAR are output types within DQL, a separate classification. Per the official download-count data (fetched August 22, 2026), it has 4,805,635 downloads and ranks #3 within that data (the registry itself lists 6,840 plugins, but that is a separate file from the one the ranking is computed over).

A download-statistics timestamp does not establish whether development has continued or stopped, or whether a current version works. The counts and versions below are records retrieved on August 22, 2026, not current values.

August 22, 2026 retrieval: downloads and releases

We fetched community-plugin-stats.json from Obsidian's official distribution (GitHub: obsidianmd/obsidian-releases) and manifest.json from Dataview's own repository (GitHub: blacksmithgu/obsidian-dataview) directly into this environment via raw.githubusercontent.com.

Item Measured value Source
Downloads & rank 4,805,635 (#3 within the download-count data; Excalidraw #1, Templater #2) community-plugin-stats.json
Plugins in the registry 6,840. This is a different file from the one the ranking is computed over — slightly fewer plugins appear in the download-count data, since not every registered plugin shows up there. community-plugins.json
Change vs. 2026-08-21 ±0 — but this does not mean downloads stood still for 24 hours. The published JSON itself had not been regenerated between the two fetches, so this read hit the same snapshot as yesterday's page. community-plugin-stats.json
Stats updated timestamp 2025-04-07 19:17 UTC (about 16 months before this measurement) community-plugin-stats.json updated
Version on master 0.5.68 (minAppVersion 0.13.11, isDesktopOnly: false) manifest.json
Latest GitHub Releases tag at retrieval 0.5.70 (marked beta) github.com/blacksmithgu/obsidian-dataview/releases

The retrieved master version was 0.5.68 and the release tag was 0.5.70, marked beta. These two numbers and the statistics timestamp do not establish development status, stability or current compatibility. Check the official releases for current versions and changes.

Four query modes — from the official README

The official README distinguishes DQL, inline expressions, DataviewJS and inline JS expressions. Within DQL, output types are LIST, TABLE, TASK and CALENDAR. We have not run the README examples below on a device for this correction.

1. DQL (Dataview Query Language)

A dedicated, SQL-like syntax for common cases.

```dataview
TABLE file.name AS "File", rating AS "Rating" FROM #book
```
2. Inline expressions

Embedded directly in a note and evaluated in preview mode.

We are on page `= this.file.name`.
3. DataviewJS

The most powerful mode, with full access to the JavaScript API.

```dataviewjs
dv.taskList(dv.pages().file.tasks.where(t => !t.completed));
```
4. Inline JS expressions

The JavaScript equivalent of inline expressions — run arbitrary JS inline.

This page was last modified at `$= dv.current().file.mtime`.

There are two ways to feed it data: YAML frontmatter at the top of a note (fenced by ---), or inline fields written as Field:: Value in the body — both are indexed and become queryable. 

---
alias: "document"
last-reviewed: 2021-08-17
thoughts:
  rating: 8
  reviewable: false
---
Basic Field:: Value
**Bold Field**:: Nice!
You can also write [field:: inline fields]; multiple [field2:: on the same line].

A security note on DataviewJS

FROM THE OFFICIAL README

DataviewJS is powerful because it runs at the same permission level as any other Obsidian plugin — meaning it can rewrite, create, or delete files, and make network calls. The README recommends writing your own JS, or only using scripts you understand and trust. Regular DQL queries, by contrast, are sandboxed and cannot make changes to your vault — in exchange for being more limited.

Before you write your first query, decide where the first line lands

Dataview queries notes and metadata in your vault. To save a note from Simple Memo, enable the integration, select an accessible folder and destination, and check the write test. You can choose a daily note or a fixed Inbox. Confirm email delivery and note storage separately; this does not automatically generate Dataview fields.

Create the line Dataview will query

Check the note destination and integration requirements before using it. Free to download.

Download on the App Store
QR code to download on the App Store On desktop? Scan with your phone

FAQ

What does Dataview do?
It queries notes and metadata in your vault. The four modes are DQL, inline expressions, DataviewJS and inline JS expressions. LIST, TABLE, TASK and CALENDAR are output types within DQL, not four modes including JavaScript.
How widely used is Dataview?
Fetching the official download-count data directly on August 22, 2026 gave 4,805,635 downloads — #3 within that data (behind Excalidraw and Templater). The often-quoted "6,840 plugins" is the registry listing, which is a separate file from the download-count data the ranking is computed over.
Is Dataview still being developed?
The statistics and versions retrieved on August 22, 2026 do not establish current development status. A statistics timestamp is separate from code updates. Check official releases and changes, then try the plugin with your Obsidian version. We did not install and test the current version for this correction.
What's the basic syntax?
Tag metadata using a note's YAML frontmatter, or inline as Field:: Value in the body. Then specify an output type and conditions inside a dataview code block. For example, LIST and TABLE display notes; TASK displays tasks from notes.
Is DataviewJS safe to use?
Per the official README, DataviewJS runs at the same permission level as any Obsidian plugin, so it can rewrite or delete files and make network calls. The README recommends writing your own code or only using trusted scripts. Regular DQL queries are sandboxed and cannot write to your vault.
TEST ENVIRONMENT & SCOPE

On September 30, 2026 we reread the official README and Query Types documentation and corrected the distinction between query modes and output types. Download counts, registry totals and historical versions remain the August 22, 2026 retrieval records; they were not fetched again. We did not install Dataview, execute queries, test current compatibility or test Simple Memo input and cross-device sync for this correction.

Related pages

Plugins guide (measured top 10) What is a vault (measured) Getting started with Obsidian Obsidian integration Glossary FAQ

References & data sources

Obsidian is a trademark of Dynalist Inc. This site is independent of the Obsidian project; Simple Memo - for Obsidian is an independent app by YURIKA, K.K. Dataview is a third-party plugin developed by blacksmithgu (Michael Brenan); this page does not constitute an endorsement of its developer or rights holder.

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